Microbiology & Immunology Alumni

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The Department of Microbiology and Immunology is grateful to all of its previous students for their efforts and contributions to further basic and clinical research within the department and the university.

*Name*	*Year*	*Current Contact Info*	Advisor	Thesis Title
Charles Kunsch	1991	Vice President Biology, AtheroGenics, Inc., Alpharetta, GA	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Analysis of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 infection of the developing human nervous system
Maribeth Tillmann	1994	Medical Writer, ApotheCom Associates LLC, Yardley, PA	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	A biochemical and functional analysis of the human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 long terminal repeat region
Joseph Kenny	1995	Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property, Legal Department, Biogen Idec, Inc., Cambridge, MA	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Analysis of the cell type-specific transcriptional regulation of the herpes simplex virus type 1 latency-associated transcript promotor
Christina Nevel-McGarvey	1995	Instructor, Dept of Biology Lycoming College	Alan Hudson	Changes in the mitochondrial genetic system in rabbit urinary bladder after partial outlet obstruction
Fred Krebs	1996	Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Lymphoid and neuroglial ATF/CREB factors interact physically and functionally with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat
Joseph Kutza	1996	Associate Director CMC Regulatory Affairs Immunology/Infectious Diseases MedImmune, Inc.	Donna Murasko	The effect of aging on human natural killer and lymphokine activated killer cell activity
Janine Ferguson	1996	Nurse practitioner New Jersey	Richard Rest	Regulation of gonococcal sialyltransferase activity by in vivo signals and substrates
Timothy Henion	1996	Research Associate Professor Shriver Center UMass Medical School	Uri Galili	Primate α1,3-galactosyltransferase: Structure-function analysis and application for the enhancement of vaccine immunogenicity
David McGee	1996	Associate Professor Microbiology and Immunology University of Alabama	Richard Rest	Molecular analysis of the regulation of expression of gonococcal and meningococcal sialyltransferase gene(s)
Norman Waters	1996	Research Scientist Div of Experimental Therapeutics Walter Reed Army Inst of Research	Bill Bergman	Identification of multiple substances of the Pho85 cyclin dependent protein kinase as key regulators of acid phosphatase expression and glycogen metabolism in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Maria Cristina Cruz	1996	Team Leader, Genomics Pharmaceutical Development Cardinal Health	Thomas Edlind	Molecular basis for benzimidazole susceptibility and resistance in the opportunistic yeasts Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans
Yvette Murley-Henry	1996	Sr Clin Scientist, Global Clinical R&D Wyeth Research	John LiPuma	Cloning and characterization of the haemocin locus of haemophilus influenzae and assessment of its role in virulence
Le Wang	1996		Uri Galili	Anti-Gal immunoglobulin genes
Xiao He	1996	Assistant Professor, Pathology University of Utah	Donna Murasko	Response of murine splenocytes to staphylococcal enterotoxin b in vitro: Effects of aging and cytokines
Ana Gabrea-Todor	1997	Assistant Professor, Biochemistry Marymount University	Libby Blankenhorn	Analysis of the high nitric oxide and high eosinophil phenotypes in the brown Norway rat
Mark Glaum	1997	Asst Professor, Medicine and Pediatrics University of South Florida	Ed Schulman	Expression and modulation of asthma-related cytokines by human lung mast cells
John Langell	1997	Asst Professor, General Surgery Univ of Utah Health Science Center	Libby Blankenhorn	Suppression of α1,3-galactosyl epitopes on mammalian cells
Denise LaTemple	1997	Vice President, Scientific Services Curatio CME Institute LLC	Uri Galili	Enhancement of tumor vaccine immunogenicity by the nature anti-gal antibody
Erica Bernstein	1997	Asst Professor, Medicine and Geriatrics Boston University	Donna Murasko	The role of cell-mediated immunity after influenza vaccination of healthy elderly individuals
Yang Kang	1997		Carole Long	The 19-kDa Carboxyl-Terminal Region of Merozoite Surface Protein-1 as a Vaccine Candidate against Malaria
Melissa Bourque-Philion	1998	Biology Instructor Quinebaug Valley Community College	Libby Blankenhorn	Characterization of the EAE-resistant LER rat T cell response following immunization for EAE
Rocio Marchese	1998	Senior Research Immunologist Vaccine and Biologics Research Merck Research Laboratories	Kenneth Blank	Immunogenetic Studies on the Mechanisms of Host Resistance against Experimental Vaginal Candidiasis
Anne Marie Martin	1998		Libby Blankenhorn	The genetics of autoimmunity in the rat: The search for non-MHC-linked genes
Jessica Jenulis	1998		Ed Schulman	Release of Chemokines from Human Lung and Human Mast Cells
Paul Artur Plett	1998	Department of Medicine Division of Hemetology/Oncology Indiana University	Donna Murasko	Age-related decrease in murine natural killer cell activity after interferon-a/b stimulation
Dawn Maria Shell	1999	Assistant Professor Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology Phila College of Osteopathic Medicine	Richard Rest	Physical and immunologic characterization of neisserial sialyltransferases; the role of PIII (Rmp) in gonococcal adhesion and invasion.
John Williams	1999	Private Practice	Richard Rest	Using the yeast two-hybrid system to identify human epithelial cell proteins that bind gonococcal opa proteins.
Naomi Vishnupad	2000		Libby Blankenhorn	Factors that contribute to resistance and susceptibility to EAE in the rat.
Karl Henry	2000	Assistant Professor Microbiology and Immunology Drexel University College of Medicine	Thomas Edlind	Molecular basis for tolerance to sterol biosynthesis inhibitors in Candida species and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Mohamed Elrafaei	2000		Donna Murasko	The effect of aging on the immune response again E55+ murine leukemia retrovirus infection
John McAllister	2000	Resident, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Cell type-and differentiation-specific gene regulation and viral replication: Implications for HIV-1 disease pathogenesis
Scott Millhouse	2000	Research Associate Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia, University, New York, NY	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Biochemical and functional analysis of the herpes simplex virus type 1 latency-associated transcript promoter
Heather Ross	2000	Principal Scientist, Viral Safety and Clearance Services Department, Lancaster Laboratories, Inc., Lancaster, PA	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Impact of LTR sequence variation and C/EBP factors on HIV-1 gene expression in cells of the monocytic lineage: Implications for HIV-1 CNS disease
Jing Yao	2000	Neuroradiology Fellow, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Physical and functional interface of CREB-1, SP1, and Tax with the HTLV-1 LTR
John Leander Po	2001	Boston Medical Center One Boston Medical Center Place	Donna Murasko	Age-associated changes in influenza A virus-specific CD8+ lymphocyte response in C57BL/6 mice
Brian Cocca	2001	Intellectual Property Lawyer Woodcock Washburn	Marko Radic	Structural basis for autoantibody recognition of phosphatidylserine-Beta2 glycoprotein 1 and apoptotic cells.
Eric Scott Halstead	2002	Resident, Clinical Education St. Christopher's Hospital for Children	Peter Katsikis	Modulating CD8+ T Cell Responses in Vivo
Kerrianne Mello	2002	Research Fellow Immunology and Infectious Diseases Harvard School of Public Health	Bill Bergman	Characterization of proteins that interact with the amino-termius of the plasmodium merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-1)
Timothy Alefantis	2003	Research Scientist, Vital Probes, Inc., Mayfield, PA	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Analysis of amino acid signals within the human T cell leukemia virus type 1 transactivator protein Tax that control nuclear export, cytoplasmic intracellular localization, and secretion
Tricia Burdo	2003	Research Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Boston College, Boston, MA	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Cellular and viral factors involved in HIV-1-associated neurologic disease
Bradley Catalone	2003	Director of Research, Olympus America, Allentown, PA	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Model systems for the preclinical evaluation of topical vaginal microbicides
Shane Quiterio	2003	Emergency Medicine Resident, Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, DE	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Modeling HIV-1 infection of bone marrow progenitor cells: Implications for HIV-1 CNS disease
Devrim Eren	2003	Senior Scientist, SYANDUS INC.	Akhil Vaidya	Plasmodium falciparum Enzymes Involved in Redox Balancing of Nicotinamide Nucleotides
Janine Knight	2003	Postdoctoral Fellow National Cancer Institute	Bill Bergman	The Regulation of Pho81p, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Ross Albert	2003		Libby Blankenhorn	Signaling through serotonin 1B and 2C receptors on lymphocytes is essential for T cell activation and proliferation
Kim Metera	2003	Instructor, Biology Durham Technical Community College	Bill Bergman	Characterization of the YLR190w Gene Product in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Jeffrey Shannon	2003	Postdoctoral Fellow Lab of Intracellular Parasites Rocky Mountain Labs, NIAID, NIH	Richard Rest	Characterization of Anthrolysin O, the Baccillus anthracis cholesterol-dependent cytolysin
Alfred Kim	2003	Resident in Internal Medicine Washington Univ School of Medicine	Peter Katsikis	The role of CD40 in dendritic cell induced CD8+ T cell responses
Christian Grant	2004	Study Director, Biomedical Research Models, Inc., Worcester, MA	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Analysis of cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating human T cell leukemia virus type 1 viral gene expression in cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage
Kate Mostoller	2004	Associate Medical Program Coordinator, Clinical Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc.	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Secretion and extracellular function of the human T cell leukemia virus trans-activator protein Tax
Michael Nonnemacher	2004	Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA	Brian Wigdahl (Penn State)	Comparative analysis of lentiviral LTR structure and functionz
Jason Stumhofer	2004	Postdoctoral Fellow, Pathobiology University of Pennsylvania	Akhil Vaidya	Characterization of a functional DNA repair enzyme from Plasmodium falciparum that displays gycolyase and AP-lyase activity
Annie Borowski	2005	Scientist Rockland Immunochemicals Inc.	Peter Katsikis	The role of CD28 costimulation in the reaction of memory CD8+ T cells
Mathanraj Packiam	2005	Postdoctoral Fellow Microbiology and Immunology Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences	Richard Rest	Differential expression and regulation of lipooligosacharide specific sialyltransferase in pathogenic neisseria
Qifang Shi	2005	Project Manager International Division Fosun Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd.	James Burns	Characterization of merozoite surface protein-8 and evaluation of it's potential as a blood-stage malaria vaccine candidate
Aikaterina Alexaki	2007	Postdoctoral Fellow National Institute of Health	Brian Wigdahl	Modeling bone marrow progenitor cell differentiation and susceptibility to HIV-1 infection
Elise Mosser	2007	Part-time faculty teaching Introductory Biology Lab for Science majors Elizabethtown College	Richard Rest	The Bacillus Anthracis Toxin Anthrolysin O Modulates Human Macrophage and Neutrophil Function
Christie Bucks	2008	Centocor Inc.	Peter Katsikis	CD8+ T cells: From Autoimmunity to antigen induced exhaustion
Yujie Liu	2008	Postdoctoral fellow Microbiology and Immunology Drexel University College of Medicine	Brian Wigdahl	Impact of downstream C/EBP site on HIV-1 gene Expression and Pathogenesis
Heather Painter	2008	Postdoctoral Fellow Microbiology and Immunology Drexel University College of Medicine	Akhil Vaidya	The Role of the Mitochondria in the Life and Death of Plasmodium falciparum
Devanshi Pandya	2008		Brian Wigdahl	Study of the regulation of the human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) promoter formatted in the context of chromatin in T cells and monocytes
Nina Thakkar Rivera	2008	Med Student Nova	Fred Krebs	Mechanism of action studies defining the activity of the biguanide-based, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 co-receptor inhibitor NB325
Anupam Banerjee	2009	Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA	Brian Wigdahl	Modulation of HIV-1 replication by μ-opiod and cAMP pathways in human bone marrow progenitor cells
Mariana Bernui	2009	Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA	Richard Rest	The effects of antioxidants on the interaction of bacillus anthracis with phagocytes
Hui Nie	2009	Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Dr. Xiang-Dong Ren, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel Institute for Biotechnology and Virology Research, Doylestown, PA	Lawrence Bergman	Finding the link from a surface adhesion in to the actin motor for Plasmodium merozoite invasion
Patricia Petritus	2009	Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA	James Burns	Analysis of vaccine- and infection-induced immune responses contributing to suppression of blood-stage malaria in the Plasmodium yoelii rodent model.
Vanessa Pirrone	2009	Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Dr. Brian Wigdahl, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA	Fred Kerbs	Poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) (PSMA) as an inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and as a partner in safe and effective combination microbicides
Shriya Raj	2009	Post-Doctoral Scholar, Dr. Del Poeta Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina	Thomas Edlind	Mechanisms of antifungal drug resistance in Candida species
Swati Thorat	2009	Seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow position in the Boston area	James Burns	Plasmodium yoelii orthologue of macrophage migration inhibitory factor alters the course of blood stage malaria infection
Marissa Panicella-Migaleddi	2009	Assistant Laboratory Manager, Bioscience and Biotechnology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, P	Lawrence Bergman	Non-Thesis Master's student
Kristen Weaver	2009	Research Associate II, Meso Scale Discovery, Gaithersburg, MD.	James Burns	Comparative immunogenicity and efficacy studies in a rodent model of a subunit blood-stage malaria vaccine formulated with adjuvants suitable for use in humans
Jessica Kennedy Weidner	2010	Karolinska Institute, Center for Infectious Medicine; Dr. Antonio Barragan’s lab, Stockholm, Sweden	Ju-Tao Guo	Modes of action of two newly identified interferon-induced antiviral proteins, IFITM3 and GBP5, against vesicular stomatitis virus infection.
Luna Li	2010		Wigdahl	Functional properties of patient-derived human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat and the transactivator protein Tat
Saifur Rahman	2010	Postdoctoral Scientist, Pfizer, Inc.	Wigdahl/Jain	Evaluating the role of dendritic cells in host immune response during human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection using a transgenic mouse model system.
Praveen Balabaskaran Nina	2010	Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Rockville, MD	Akhil Vaidya	Investigation of the unusual ATP synthase complexes in the alveolates Tetrahymena thermaphila and Plasmodium falciparum.
Danielle Loughlin	2010	Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Pennsylvania	Carol Artlett	A story of the ACEs: Regulation of dermal fibroblast signaling by the precursor of advanced glycation end products 3-deoxyglucosone
Mitali Purohit	2010		Richard Rest	Anthrax sporulation, the role of proteases in anthrolysin O expression, and interactions of a novel immunomodulator with cells of the innate immune system.
Meghan Wynosky-Dolfi	2010	Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine	Richard Rest	Characterization of receptor interactions with ALO and activation of signaling pathways.
Karissa Lozenski	2010		Fred Krebs	Use of the murine model of cervicovaginal toxicity to examine factors that adversely affect epithelial integrity and inflammation following microbicide application.
Viraj Sanghvi	2010		Laura Steel	Interactions between HIV-1 and host cell RNAi pathways and the characterization of a conditional promoter for use in RNAi-based anti-HIV-1 therapeutics.
Priyanka Duttagupta	2010	Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Pennsylvania	Peter Katsikis	The cellular and signaling requirement of effector CD8+T cells during influenza A virus infection.
Hangjun Ke	2011	Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine	Akhil Vaidya	Investigation of the unusual tricarboxylic acid metabolism and mitochondrial electron transport chain functions in Plasmodium falciparum.
Kasturi Chaterjee	2011		Lawrence Bergman	Identification of the myosin B light chain partner in Plasmodium and elucidation of the motor properties.
James Alaro	2011	Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine	James Burns	Development of a novel chimeric blood-stage malaria vaccine.
Suresh Maddur Ganesan	2011	Postdoctoral Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	Akhil Vaidya	Investigation of mitochondrially targeted proteins in blood stage malaria parasites.
Yuanjie Liu	2011	Postdoctoral Fellow, Wistar Institute	Anand Mehta	Ubiquitin plays a critical role in hepatitis B virus envelope protein MHC class I antigen presentation.
Sumit Kumar	2011		Lawrence Bergman	Identification and characterization of transcription co-factor multiprotein bridging factor-1 in Plasmodium.

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Microbiology & Immunology Alumni